The Day of Execution
by Trickster In The Shadows
Summary: The time has come for Loki's execution. He is to be punished for his crimes. Then something happens before the fall of the axe.


_**The Day of Execution**_

The Tesseract engulfed Thor and Loki in a whirlwind of fascinating blue light. The deep colour surrounded them as it wrapped around their motionless figures. Slowly, a pull of immense power could be felt, tugging, drawing them into another world. The cube worked the ancient magic within itself to beginning to transport them back to Asgard, away from Midgrard.

They were leaving the humans, their heroes and other villains, in the same state the world was before Loki's power and rage had arrived there. They were going to return to a strange way of normality now that the Earth's threat was removed. Thor would take Loki from this world to one they were more familiar with. They were going home.

_Almost there._

_NO! No, no!_

_Punishment is nigh._

_Not mine!_

_All yours._

_NO!_

_Almost there._

The complete journey through the realm was silent and over quickly. The magic has teleported them to the gardens behind the magnificent halls of the Asgard palace. The two brothers landed elegantly as the magic unwrapped itself from their forms as it returned to the metal device the Man of Iron had given Thor. He gripped it within his hands, his knuckles turning white under the pressure. He had landed somewhat in front of Loki and had to look back at his brother to see him. Unlike Thor's frowning lips and worried forehead, Loki was smiling slyly, as if he had succeeded after all and his eyes caused Thor to turn away. His only word, "Follow me."

_See how he cringes away from you. _

_It is not me!_

_Yes, it is._

The large and golden halls are just as Thor's mind remembers them. They shine like the sun and give the presence of a grand area. His large strides seem inferior to the height and width of the corridor. Both he and Loki walk towards the throne room, thoughts running through each mind, as they come closer to meeting their father once more.

The door opens widely with a thud, swinging out as both the men stride into the room. Loki still follows Thor's lead as they approach their seated father. Odin sits on the throne, his one eye taking turn in boring into his sons. One of his hands grip his mighty staff as the other tightens on the chairs handle. His face is a black canvas as he raises his chin in power. Even as he looks that of all a King should, there is wariness to his shoulders.

The room is also crowded with Asgard's highest positioned, the generals, the leaders, the nobles, All are there are the two brothers stop in front of the King. The whispers have died down for now as they all stare in wonder at their hero and their most hated villain. The can only gaze on as the blonde haired Thor kneels in respect to his father, and as Loki stands proud and simply smirks behind his mask.

The young thunder God then raises, his eyes meet his father's as he announces, "Midgard is now safe, and we have returned, Father."

"Welcome home Thor", he responds his mind already past pleasantries and thinking ahead.

Then a blanket of silent falls over the room. No one speaks, no one moves, no one dares to make even the slightest sound. The crowd is paused and frozen. Soon a member of the audience grows restless and leans over to speak with a comrade. He opens his mouth to speak but before he does he can see the flash of Loki's eyes as he glances through his dark hair at him. If only for a second, but a dangerous second filled with fear. He keeps his mouth shut.

Odin stares at his oldest for some time, not addressing him, not speaking, before he seems to come to a decision. A Look of understanding and secrecy pass through the father and Thor as he slowly nods, "Loki's punishment is to be decided tomorrow, at the court, at noon."

An excitement runs through each member of the spectators. Each stares at one another in wonder and amazement. Tomorrow they would all know. Their whispers begin again as the King starts at his stolen son.

Loki still stands proud even after hearing his own destiny is to be decided in a day. He looks straight at Odin, unblinking as the King does back. All he sees though is the flicker of disappointment and sadness in the old man's face as he studies his features. Loki smiles, overjoyed and satisfied, with this knowledge.

_Look at the disgust towards you._

_Not me! _

_Look at the disappointment towards you._

_Not me!_

_All you._

_No!_

_All you._

Loki is led to a room in the furthest corner of the palace. He is still a Prince therefore has not been placed in the dirty and disgusting cells below the ground. He strolls proudly, still led by Thor, towards his temporary home. His steps could be heard in the dead silent soundings as Thor's feet surprisingly made no sound at all.

When they arrived at the room the doors were opened by Thor as Loki still remained chained. They both stood in the room studying it. It was plain, simple, with a bed and a simple coverless book on bedside table. Thor then looked directly at Loki. He knew what he had to do know.

Thor reached out towards his brother, both hands extended, as they came to brush against the biding gag. It was rough and metallic. His hands reached around to find the buckles. AS he slowly undid each Loki waited, calmly. In the end the mask was slid of and the chains were removed by Thor's hand. He then conveyed the message his father had told him to inform Loki of, "The room is magic repellent, you cannot use your sorcery in here as Father has enchanted it. The doors as well have been, to stop any attempts at escape."

Thor waited for a response only to hear his brother reply with, "Your father.", then left, shaking his head solemnly.

_He hates you._

_No!_

_Look at him finally leave you, like all others have._

_No... no_

_Yes._

Noon the next day came. The night had passed slowly for some and quickly for other though. The advisors and other members of the court could not hold their anticipation for the case while Thor wished there was a way to prolong the hours till. But no matter, every member of the court, Odin and Frigga, Thor and many common Asgardians came to see the Trickster finally punished.

The court room was much the same as any other in the palace. It was golden and shining, even if the most dreadful cases took place within. But at the end of the room were a series of thirteen chairs, six on either side of a grand chair, Odin's chair. As all filled through the doors to their places the King and his group were already seated there. Then walked in Thor and Loki, bound again in chains, to stand before the court.

As the proceeding began each of Loki's many crimes were told again to make sure all understood the situation. Each little known detail was retold for every citizen to hear and Loki felt no shame. He lifted his head and met the eyes of every court member.

Then there was the questioning. Thor being the one mostly questioned, after all no one else besides the guarding Heimdall, who was watching the rebuilt Bifrost, had experienced Loki's crimes. He was asked to report on everything, the happenings before Loki's fall and what had transpired on Midgard. Then Loki himself was asked if he had anything to say to support himself, as was the rules of the law no matter if there was no way to persuade the judgement.

The Silvertongue replied with, "I would do it all again."

The court erupted with talk and shouts. The people were enraged and Odin's members shocked and angry. Odin eventually restored the small peace and declared, "We shall no discus the final punishment."

_Your punishment!_

_No…no_

_Yes!_

Odin later returned with each member. Each stood in front of their positions as the judgement lay seconds till announced for all to hear. Odin stood, trying so desperately hard to seem strong and powerful. His one eye the window into his emotions as he slowly drew a deep breath. His next word: "Loki, for your crimes against Asgard, Jotunheim, Midgard and their people, you are sentenced to an execution, at sunset."

Thor's shout of dismay and rage rang throughout the room silencing the talk from the audience. "He is your _SON!_"

_Watch them dispute idiotically._

_Brother!_

_Watch them. _

"And as every single person here, is to follow all the laws and suffer the consequences for disobeying them, no matter what."

_Watch them leave you!_

_No_

_Watch them abandon you!_

Loki began to laugh.

_Soon._

_Soon…no_

_Soon._

The sun was lowering in the sky, half visible and half already beneath the stretched horizon. The crowds gathered on this day for a special purpose. They were all here, eagerly awaiting the hooded figure that would climb up the stairs and approach the wooden block. They all waited for the axe in his hands to be revealed as he stood looking down the path left empty for the traitor. They all waited for the moment Loki's blood would be spilt and he would be proclaimed dead.

Odin, staff in hand, was standing at the place in front of the execution podium. He would be in the direction Loki would face as the axe would decapitate his son. His heart and mind full of sorrow and regret as his thought of his to be dead son, his boy, the boy who had somehow become so twisted and full of hatred.

Thor was also present next to Odin's side. His eyes lowered as his mind battled for some way to change the future, to alter the almost certain outcome. He could not stand by while his brother's neck was to be severed clean from his body. He could not watch his brother die. The love in his heart for him was too great, and after surviving all their past wishing for them to be reunited, he would find a way to save Loki.

Frigga was nowhere to be seen. She had not come to this event, could not bear to. She could not watch as her son, they boy she had raised with her own hands and heart, would be murdered so publically and cruelly. There was sadness but also anger in heart as she cursed the judgment makers and their ways. Her sadness won over though, as she sat in her chambers, ears and sobs breaking through her chest and breaking her heart.

Meanwhile, outside as the sun slowly drifted lower and lower in the sky, Loki, in chains once again, was led towards his end, his death.

_They come to watch you die!_

_Yes._

_Yes, soon!_

Loki had not been allowed to have any visitors. No one was permitted to see him before sunset as he retired to his chambers. The last time he was to see this place; he had not even been given the right to his see his own true chambers one last time. He could not see his books or his relics and weapons. He was could not see any last face alone or any last part of him that was hidden in his room.

Now he was here, in the sun he despised greatly, forced up the steps towards the execution block. He would have walked freely there anyway, as eager for is punishment as the crowds.

_It is time._

_Please…_

_It is time!_

Odin and Thor watched as Loki was roughly handled. His head was forced upon the engraved and cleanly crafted wood. It would be drenched in blood soon and poisoned. Loki was kneeling now as his neck was placed in the right position. The executioner them removed his hood, revealing the mask that covered his face, exposing only his eyes, and nose. He drew his axe from his side and placed it in front of him, the landing creating a dull thud, as the crowd went silent.

Odin raised his staff to draw attention. Then when every single citizen looked at him, waiting for his command, he began to speak. "Loki, for your crimes and trespasses against Asgard, Jotunheim and Midgard, you have been sentenced to death, to execution." The word had to be spoken, as was the tradition but it wore of Odin's heart, "Do you have any final words?". This was the only right that there was no choice but to allow.

Odin looked at Loki, and waited.

Thor looked at his father then towards his brother, and waited.

The audience looked at the evil traitor and liar, and waited.

"You will regret the day you murdered Loki, you, Frigga and Thor will all regret this moment. You –_look into my eyes – _and tell me I am lying."

_Do not attempt that again!_

_NO!_

_They will kill you!_

_And you_

_Not me!_

_No…_

_Yes._

_No…_

_It is time!_

Odin nodded towards the axe man as excitement and anxiousness swam through the flock of people watching. Thor and Odin then both shared a long glance that spoke so much without the use of any words. When their eyes both returned to Loki, pale and smirking slyly, they could not resist looking within his eyes. Both men held stares with the one they had loved who had turned so viciously.

They both watched as the executioner raised his shining axe, so clean but not for long.

_Goodbye Loki Laufeyson!_

_No..._

They both watched as Loki's sly smile became a grimace of horror and a look of utter betrayal.

The both watched as Loki's eyes widened and fear replaced the smugness.

The both watched the pass of "no" between his lips as it all fell into place.

Odin's hand shot outward like a strike of lightning as his staff emitted a flash of magic, stopping the axe mere inches from the back of Loki's pale neck, just as Thor shouted a cry of "NO!". His power freezing the object in motion before it could kill his youngest son, a son so wronged.

The audience was shocked into a complete silence. Nothing, in the history of Asgard, had every occurred like this. They were all still as statues as they watched their king lower the axe safely to the ground, then with his oldest son, he ran towards the man they all had called a traitor, Loki.

Loki was shaking, his hands trembling and his body weak and slumped. His eyes would not close but were constantly blinking in confusion and shock. _What had happened?_ His thoughts were wild, some claiming he was saved, and some saying this is an illusion. He was crazed as his eyes darted to Thor and his father as they ran towards him. Tears he didn't know he as holding in, spilled onto his face.

Thor reached his brother much sooner than their father, but Odin had used his powers again to unchain his black haired boy. Thor had knelt down next to Loki as his brother sat up eyes searching wildly for anything, anything at all. Thor engulfed him with his arms and pulled him into a tight embrace. Surprisingly, Loki was quick to wrap his weak arms around his brother, so, so happy, that it was over, it was over; he had returned to himself.

Odin later joined the brothers, after sending away the public and their curios gazes. He kneeled, also, besides his sons and looked at Thor first, he needed some confirmation, he needed to know it what they had suspected was true. Thor didn't answer but looked towards the arms wrapped around his back. It was answer enough.

Loki was led inside, his brother on his left side and his father on his right. On the way to where Frigga was staying, her chambers, many of Odin's court members approached him but soon learnt the consequence for doing so. They both rushed Loki to his mother where they could be at peace, so they could learn when and why everything had gone so terribly wrong.

As they arrived Loki's eyes had stopped frantically searching for any sign of deception and his shaking had stopped altogether. Thor also stopped his ongoing repetition of "_I'm so, so sorry Brother." _Odin was the only reasonably calm person in their trio as they entered Firgga's chambers unannounced.

When the doors slammed open Frigga had jumped to her feet, enraged that someone had violated her commands and had interrupted her grieving. Her tears still wet her face as she turned to face whoever it was that had come in.

She gasped when she saw her sons and her husband. Rage had disappeared replaced with confusion and happiness. Loki was still alive.

She rushed to the three men as quick as she could and reached out for her youngest son, Loki. She took him in her arms, desperately hugging and kissing the boy she had almost lost.

In the end they all managed to sit down in their own chairs, all facing one another and all very close, especially Loki.

They had learnt, from Loki, what dark spirit had been controlling his body and his actions. He took many tries to explain it all often failing to continue and stopping to doubt whether they would believe this. Would the try to kill him again, send him back to the executioner? These thoughts swirled in his mind as he, eventually, told them the whole truth.

It was all that dark spirit. In the moments after Loki had learnt of his Jotun parenthood, after he had touched the casket and had seen his pale flesh turn a cold and horrid blue. The spirit had entered and seized control of Loki's actions and words. It had later told Loki it had chosen that moment as it was his weakest.

But there was a struggle for power. Loki told them that he simply did not give up; he was not that weak no matter what anyone thought. He had asked Odin the questions he wanted to up until a point when he lost the battle for power.

From there on his action were not his own.

Attempting to destroy Jotunheim, letting go of the bridge, wreaking havoc on Earth and her people, it was not him! If he could he would have not done a single one of those things, he had never desired those things, never.

And every single word of hate spat at his brother was untrue, Loki loved his brother.

And every cruel thing said to his father was meaningless, Loki loved his father.

And if they accepted him as the monster, as the Jotun, he was, he would give and take all the love he had missed in the time he was not his true self.

The accepted it, they believed him, they truly believed the real retelling of his pain and struggle. They took him into their arms as each asked for forgiveness none of them but Loki believed they deserved. They began to reconnect the bond that had made them a family.

Truths were spoken, no lies were told. Hearts were mended and none were broken. For the first time in ages Loki did not feel the cold loneliness that was all he had in his own possessed mind.

They were healing.

Thor had regained a brother.

Odin had regained a son.

Frigga had regained a son.

Loki had regained everything he ever wanted.

_**A/N: I may do an alternate ending to this fic as I had two very different ideas in mind if anyone is interested and I might continue this for a chapter or two if people enjoy it, I have a few ideas forming so, we'll see. Thank you.**_


End file.
